A Manchester-area British streetwear and luxury casualwear brand founded by brothers George and Mike Heaton.
Represent is a British clothing label that describes itself in press as luxury streetwear. Its range includes t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, denim, outerwear, shirts, trousers, footwear and accessories such as caps, bags and socks, plus a womenswear line and an activewear line called 247. The brand lists a Prestige loyalty programme, Owners Club, Archive Resale of older pieces, and a student discount on its website. In its early years it hired six childhood friends into a warehouse, and by 2018 it moved into an 8,000 sq ft warehouse and made about 30,000 units a season.
It was founded around 2011 to 2012 by brothers George and Michael Heaton from Bolton. They studied graphic design, started with 25 t-shirts printed for friends and sold through Instagram and PayPal, and worked from a garden shed before the business outgrew the family home in Horwich. Their grandmother Sylvia, a former tailor, helped them develop their first denim fit, which became a bestseller. The brothers have said they never planned to start a business, and both studied graphic design, at Runshaw College in Leyland and the University of Salford.
The brand draws on retro Manchester culture, including Hacienda-era club nights, rave, 1990s Britpop and vintage Northern Quarter shops, and its designs are often openly British. The brothers say they design clothes they would wear themselves. They say they aim for high-fashion quality at a more accessible price and prefer to let demand build naturally. George says Manchester is the brand's "hometown and base."
Its registered address is Unit 1, Northgate Close, Horwich, Bolton, and its headquarters is on Enterprise Park. In 2024 it planned its first UK store, a 5,419 sq ft flagship on New Cathedral Street in Manchester city centre, with a London store in Soho to follow. It has run pop-ups in Selfridges, Flannels and Harrods, and its site lists an Owners Club Cafe in London. Collaborations named on its site include Belstaff, Puma, NFL, Iron Maiden and Oasis.
In 2018 the business had about 15 staff, made most of its clothes at a Birmingham factory and sold through around 160 stockists including Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. Those figures are dated and likely much higher now. Jobs in a brand like this include design, production, wholesale, retail, e-commerce, marketing and logistics.
Website: uk.representclo.com
PURPOSE helps school and university students explore 62 sectors and over 1,000 entry-level careers in the UK, then connects them directly with employers.
Explore PURPOSE